The Entrepreneur
Tan Sri Lim was 29 when he established his own advertising business, Wings Creative Consultants, in 1975. It was a bold move because he was muscling into an industry controlled by expatriates and multinationals.
The few local agencies then were more sign-makers than anything else. He knew the business and the market. He laboured patiently and diligently to convince many of the multinational manufacturers and other companies to use local talent.
His relentless efforts paid off as local advertising achieved sophistication in approach and execution. Local talent gained recognition for quality work. His greatest satisfaction came from the growing conviction of the local industry in its own abilities.
Today, Tan Sri Lim is Chairman of the Limkokwing Integrated Group, a multi-disciplinary group comprising subsidiary companies involved in education, film/video production, design, multimedia and publishing.
He is the Founder/President of:
- Limkokwing University of Creative Technology, Malaysia, United Kingdom, Botswana, Indonesia
- Limkokwing Institute for Tomorrow (LIFT)
- Limkokwing Institute of Creative Technology
- Limkokwing Sound & Music Academy
- Limkokwing International Lifestyle Design Academy
- Limkokwing Executive Leadership College
- Limkokwing Foundation for Creative Excellence
- Malaysian Design Innovation Centre
- Malaysian Branding & Packaging Design Centre
- Malaysian Education Promotion Council
- National Creativity and Innovation Institute
- Centre for Content Creation
- The Asia Creativity Institute
- International House Kuala Lumpur
- Public Opinion & Perception Research Centre
- K-Economy Enabling Institute
- Designers and Animators Guild
- The Next Generation
- Wings of Creativity
- The Art & Design Centre of Kuala Lumpur
- Momentum Communications
- Malaysian e-Sports Hub
- Think Malaysia
Tan Sri Lim is an unusual entrepreneur in that he looks beyond the profit margin for satisfaction. He is always interested in novel ways of conducting business and every project must have some kind of social benefit. In advertising he built recognition for local talent, in education he created respect for creative professionals.
For over 30 years he has applied his skills in helping the country achieve its objectives, often simplifying compelx policies to bridge the information gap between the Government and the people. His has been the kind of entrepreneurship that Malaysia has needed to transform itself into a thriving and prosperous economy.
The Malaysian Government continues to turn to him to tap his experience and expertise, and has appointed him to the board of a number of organisations, including the Multimedia Development Corporation (MDeC) and the Malaysian Higher Education Council.
He also set up a packaging gallery called Malaysia Branding and Packaging Design Centre which presented thousands of ideas on new brand packaging to the Prime Minister for distribution to rural industries that needed to upgrade their branding.
But he felt that the real change for the rural sector can only happen through its younger generation. So he set up a campus for rural students to gain new skills in business management, marketing, mass communications, packaging design, interactive design and a host of other skills they need to boost rural industries and bridge the digital divide that is holding back expansion of the sector.
